Putting Coach Confirmation Research into Practice: How to Confirm Youth and High School Athletes and Coach More Effectively

This article focuses on how coaches can utilize a prosocial coaching behavior referred to as confirmation to promote positive experiences and development for youth and high school athletes. Confirmation centers on making athletes feel recognized, valued, supported and connected to others — all of which are goals of modern prosocial coaching movements. In an effort to accomplish these goals, this article presents six specific strategies that coaches can enact to make their athletes feel confirmed.